Seven Ways to Prevent Split Ends

The only way to get rid of split ends is to have them snipped off. But you can take care of your hair and prevent splits from occurring at the first place.

What causes split ends?
The longer the hair, the older the end and therefore more prone to split ends.

The daily grind – washing, combing, styling, and chemical treatments – can cause the hair cuticle, which is the outside protective sheath of the hair’s shaft, to wear off. Once the cuticle is damaged the inner layer of hair is exposed, and it becomes weakened, dehydrated and damaged, making the hair prone to split ends.

The good news is that you can easily avoid split ends and grow your hair longer with having to worry about them. Here are some of the tips to banish them forever:

7 Ways to Treat and Prevent Split Ends
1. Get Regular Trimming
No matter how well you look after your hair, the everyday combing, washing will cause some wear and tear, and therefore you can’t prevent split ends entirely. Inevitably, a trim will be necessary at some point to control split ends. But, proper care will allow you to stretch trim appointment to every eight to twelve weeks, or may be even longer. Keep a regular check on them. If you happen to see a random split end, take a pair of scissors and get rid of it. Leaving the split end uncut is not a good idea, as it could potentially get worse and travel all the way up to the root.

Removal: Always use sharp scissors or the ones meant for hair cuts. Using blunt pair can fray your ends and cause more splits after a while. Also cut about 1/4 of an inch above the split, and if you don’t there are chances that split might reappear.

2. Oil Your Hair Before You Wash Them
Shampooing/Washing can cause damage to your hair. When hair gets wet – during shampooing – it absorbs water and swells. In this state it is very fragile and therefore it is easier for splits or chips to occur.

How does oiling hair help? Oil forms a protective sheath around your hair, reducing the damage during washing process. Plus, oil also nourishes your hair, and help restore its moisture balance. Some of the best oil for pre-wash treatment are coconut oil, sesame oil, jojoba oil and almond oil. To use: Apply oil of your choice on the scalp and massage gently with the pads of your fingers. Finish by running fingers through your hair. Keep it for an hour and wash as usual.

3. Apply A Leave-in Conditioner
If you have bad split ends or are prone to having them, then be sure to apply a leave- in conditioner to your hair. This is to protect your hair from the regular wear and tear that can happen due to combing, styling, and also environmental factors (hot sun or cold winds).

You don’t need any fancy brands. Oils or plant butters make an excellent leave-in conditioners. Best oils to use – coconut, almond, olive, and jojoba oil; and best butters that work – shea, kokum, and aloe butter. To use: Take a little amount (not more than a pea size) of oil or butter and rub it between your palms and apply to damp or dry hair, focusing on the ends and leave-in. This will smooth down frizz, split ends and flyaways, and leave your hair looking shiny and beautiful. Start with little, you can always add more to adjust the needs of your hair— you don’t want your hair to look greasy.

4. Dry Hair Gently
Wet hair is fragile and vulnerable to damage. So treat it with utmost care. Vigorously rubbing your hair dry with a towel creates tangles and twists in many unnatural directions, thus causing breakage and split ends. Instead, gently dab the dripping hair with a towel to get rid of the excess water.

To Dry: Use a soft cotton towel, as they are kinder to your hair and causes less friction when drying, and therefore less damage. Plus, cotton towel absorbs a great amount of water, so your hair will dry faster. The next time you wash your hair, wrap hair in a soft cotton towel and leave it on for 5-10 minutes, then let hair dry naturally. Your hair should be smoother and healthier!

5. Use A Wide Tooth Comb
The best way to detangle your hair after shampoo is by using a wide-tooth comb (comb in general are more gentle than brush). And Do Not tug it down your hair from the root to the tip. Doing this will cause tough knots which will be hard to undo and the delicate ends will be forced to take the comb bashing, thus causing hair breakage and split ends. Instead, start at the ends, and gently work your way up. When you encounter a tangle, stop and untangle gently with your comb or fingers and then proceed.

For tangles, apply a leave-in conditioner – as previously mentioned. This will help untangle with ease and prevent the snaps and breakage you can incur when you try to comb hair. Also try to avoid combing until your hair is almost dry.

6. Reduce Use Of Heat Appliances
Heat appliances such as blow dryers, flat-iron, and heat curlers are bad for your hair – however expensive or reputed they may be. When you blow dry or apply heat on your hair it reduces your hair’s natural moisture, leaving it dry, rough and brittle. Constant use can cause physical hair trauma, and the result is damaged hair and split ends.

The best way to dry your hair is to let it dry naturally, and the healthiest way to style it is heat-less. Go gentle. And your hair will look and feel better, and last longer.

7. Protect Your Hair From The Elements
Environmental factors such as sun, wind and cold work against your hair. Long term exposure to hot sun may damage your hair, leaving it dry and brittle, and more prone to breakage as well as split ends. Similarly, cold winds too can be quite harsh on your hair.

Whenever you are stepping outside in the hot sun or cold winds you must protect your hair. Wearing a scarf, a hat or a cap will lock the moisture of your hair and protect it against the elements. In addition, they make great accessories, and they are also excellent at hiding bad hair days

Why Am I Losing My Hair?

Everyone loses hair all the time, maybe up to 100 strands a day. They fall out, then grow back in, and the cycle starts over again. But eventually, most guys will start to notice that they’re losing more than before -- and it’s not growing back.

As many as 85% of men will have some sort of hair loss in their lifetime. It can happen for different reasons.

Most Common Cause: Male Pattern Baldness
Up to 95% of guys with thinning hair can blame it on this condition. It’s caused by genes you get from your parents.

Scientists think the gene may affect how sensitive your hair follicles are to a hormone called DHT, which makes them shrink. As they get smaller, the hair that grows back tends to be finer, thinner, and shorter. Eventually, it takes longer for hair to grow back. Then, the follicles will shrink so that no hair grows at all.

Male pattern baldness shows up in a telltale shape: a receding hairline with thinning strands around the crown of your head. Over time, that area will go bald, but you’ll still have a horseshoe pattern of hair above your ears circling to the lower back of the head.

Men with this trait can start to lose their locks as early as their early teens. In general, the sooner it starts, the greater the loss will be.

Other types of hair loss tend to happen faster than male pattern baldness.

Spot baldness, or alopecia areata, makes your hair fall out in smooth, round patches, but it usually grows back. The condition is a type of autoimmune disease, which means your body attacks itself. In this case, it destroys your hair.

Scarring alopecia is a rare disease that destroys your hair follicles and makes scar tissue form in their place. Hair will not grow back.

Other Reasons for Hair Loss

When your locks fall out suddenly, instead of gradually thinning over time, it’s usually from something other than male pattern baldness. Other causes include:

-Diseases like anemia or a thyroid problem

-Radiation or chemotherapy treatments

-Medications, such as blood thinners, high doses of vitamin A, and steroids that some men take to help build muscle, called anabolic steroids

-Scalp infections

-Problems with your diet, like getting too little iron or too much vitamin A

-Stress

-Keeping hairstyles like tight ponytails, cornrows, or braids for many years

-For most of these issues, your hair will grow back once you take care of what’s causing it.

Are There Any Risks to Hair Loss?

Male pattern baldness generally isn’t a sign of a serious medical problem, but it has been linked with some other conditions including coronary heart disease, an enlarged prostate or prostate cancer, diabetes, obesity, and high blood pressure.

If you notice your hair starting to fall out, keep track of the pattern and how much you’re losing. You can talk to your doctor to rule out a more serious problem.

Men and Hair Loss: What Are the Options?

It may seem a peculiar American vanity that men have in-boxes full of hair loss treatment offers and spend billions of dollars on hair loss treatments each year. Not so. As Gersh Kuntzman illustrates in his book Hair! Mankind's Historic Quest to End Baldness, chrome-dome anxiety has tormented us for ages. Caesar's laurel wreaths? Classic red herring, Kuntzman says.

Baldness is biblical, too -- from the Maccabees to Samson and Delilah (a story Kuntzman calls "practically a commercial for Propecia") -- the Old Testament is littered with hair loss. If there'd been email back then, it's a good bet Elijah would be agonizing over whether or not to Buy Rogaine Online Now.

For as long as men have been fretting over their expanding foreheads, they've been scrounging for hair loss treatments. From hippo fat pomades to the urine of young foals, history is full of just-so-crazy-they-might-work concoctions. They didn’t work. And a quick Googling reveals that most of the products and services marketed today are only slightly less absurd.

In reality, there’s a very limited number of effective treatments for male pattern baldness. Given that two-thirds of American men will experience a significant level of thinning by the age of 35, it's worth running through the options.

The pill to prevent hair loss
Looking for a pill to keep from going bald? Finasteride, known more commonly as Propecia, is taken daily in 1 mg doses. Because it works by lowering dihydrotestosterone (DHT) levels, it’s assumed it can reduce hair loss for a majority of men. It also often achieves a measure of regrowth.

"I recommend that everyone [with any hair loss] take finasteride," says Robert M. Bernstein, MD. Bernstein is associate clinical professor of dermatology at Columbia University and founder of the Bernstein Medical Center for Hair Restoration. "To patients who are younger,” he says, “I also recommend minoxidil. But the mainstay is finasteride. The data show that, over five years, it significantly retards hair loss in 85% of users."

Both finasteride and minoxidil, the only other FDA-approved hair loss product (most commonly marketed as Rogaine), require a commitment. Stop either of these hair loss treatments and your progress vanishes. Within months, you'll lose whatever hair you managed to retain or grow back.

Finasteride does have potential sexual side effects. A very small percentage of men experience decreases in libido and other problems, but this is rare and generally temporary.

Liquid hair loss treatment -- There's the rub
Initially used to treat high blood pressure, minoxidil was the first medication approved by the FDA to treat male pattern baldness. By applying Rogaine (or a generic version) directly to the scalp twice a day, a man in the early stages of hair loss can often stimulate growth. The American Hair Loss Association points out that results of treatment with minoxidil are limited, but it still endorses using it in combination with other treatments or as an alternative if finasteride doesn't work.

"I caution patients to try it for a limited time," Bernstein says. "Because it's not as simple [to use] as a pill, use isn't always regular, and you end up losing whatever you gained."

Side effects of minoxidil are limited to occasional itchiness and dry scalp.

Hair transplants
The good news: Hair transplants don't look like dolls' hair anymore. The bad news: You won't be able to go anywhere to show off your new 'do because you'll be broke. The average recipient of a follicle transplant receives several thousand grafts -- strips of hair removed from bushier parts of the head -- at a cost of several thousand dollars. The cost continues to mount when patients come back for added thickness over the years.

The hair transplant is an expensive procedure that, as with other options, rarely leaves you with a Fabio-like mane. Still, the science has improved dramatically in recent years, and more than a few lusciously locked movie stars are rumored to have gone under the tweezers.

Toupee or not toupee
As with transplants, the word toupee conjures an outdated and disagreeable image. The 70s-style rugs have mostly been traded in for spiffier "hair replacement systems." But the basic concept -- a foreign object atop your head -- can only evolve so far. Of course, the effectiveness of hairpieces is tough to evaluate. You may spot an awful one now and then, but the ones you do spot are just the awful ones. Who knows how many masterpieces slip undetected under the radar?

Barring a hair-tugging spree, there aren't many opportunities to admire the toupee's invisible art. But among those clients willing to own up, the American Hair Loss Association reports that over 70% are ultimately dissatisfied with their experience at hair replacement salons.

Alternative hair loss remedies
One word: boondoggle. From saw palmetto to zinc, a vast array of tinctures, supplements, and shampoos promise to do what the FDA-approved treatments do -- only cheaper and perhaps even better because of some “little-known ancient wisdom.” Turns out that FDA approval isn't for nothing.

"There's never been a single study to show they work," Bernstein says of the alternative remedies. "It's conceivable that some might have some minor impact. But the real problem is that people waste valuable time experimenting with them when they'd be much better off spending their money on something proven to work. The window for Propecia passes, and if you've spent two years with this herbal thing instead, that can make a big difference in the results you ultimately get."

George Cotserelis, MD, is director of the University of Pennsylvania's Hair and Scalp Clinic. He agrees that there's no evidence these alternative hair loss treatments have any effect. "If any of it did work," he says, "I'd be very worried about using that product. The fact that it’s working would mean it's doing something to the testosterone and could be having adverse effects."

Laser combs: The Star Trek solution
For those concerned that the existing treatments lack a certain sci-fi quality, behold the Laser Comb. The Laser Comb recently became only the third hair loss treatment to receive FDA approval. And it is the first that doesn’t use drugs or surgery. By stimulating follicles with a low-level laser, the hand-held device was shown in test trials to increase hair volume in a majority of patients.

The 545 dollar product is a source of great optimism among some -- and some wariness among others. "We've definitely seen some benefit, probably on the order of minoxidil," Bernstein says. "But the study was only six months long. And there's suspicion among many of us about the long-term effectiveness. The process doesn't affect DHT."

Future hope
Even more fantastical than a laser-emitting comb is that longed for promise of a total cure to baldness - hair cloning. By culturing and successfully implanting new hair cells, scientists might be able to grow follicles where once there were none. But don't be fooled by Dolly. Making hair isn't the same as making sheep.

"We've been saying it's 10 years off for many years now. I still say it's 10 years off," Bernstein says. "There are some major scientific barriers to overcome. Then there are the trials to go through, the approval, the cost constraints. But I definitely think it will happen -- someday."

Cotserelis speaks even more guardedly: "Will it be a total cure for baldness? I'd say the future will hold many more treatment options. But there won't be one solution for everyone. You'll still have to use multiple approaches, like you do now."

Here’s How To Stop Hair Fall Immediately! 24 Tips And Tricks

We all want to have gorgeous and healthy hair but most of us are the victims of hair loss due to which our dreams of having beautiful hair become distant. But, stopping hair fall is not that difficult, it just requires a bit of efforts.

A lot of factors come into play when we talk about how to stop hair fall. If you take enough care of your hair and maintain them on daily routine basis, like a habit, then undoubtedly your hair fall will stop and you will have healthy and shiny hair. To know how, just read on.

1. Choose The Correct Shampoo And Conditioner
In order to address your how to stop hair fall problem, It’s very essential to use the shampoo and conditioner meant just for your hair type. This is because often not using the correct shampoo leads you to having rough hair which further causes hair loss. It is also important to apply them on the hair in the correct way.

While applying a shampoo, make sure that you concentrate on the scalp and hair roots whereas, while applying a conditioner focus on the ends of your hair.

2. Apply Oil Regularly
We all have heard since our childhood days that how important it is to oil our hair and undoubtedly, it is the best hair loss treatment at home. All you are required to do is to apply any natural oil – olive, coconut or canola.

Heat the oil till it becomes warm.
Then massage it gently on your scalp and leave it for an hour.
Shampoo your hair.
Apply hair oil at least once a week.

3. Don’t Pull Your Hair Tight
If you really want to learn how to stop hair loss, then this must be very carefully understood.

We all choose to adorn hairstyles like pony tails, pigtails and braids and the saddest part about these hairstyles is that they are usually supposed to be tied tightly.

Now, when you tie your hair tightly on a regular basis it might start pulling out of their roots.
In order to avoid this, change your hairstyle and soon enough your hair will recover.
At times, hair gets permanently damaged and they stop growing from the areas they are most pulled from.

4. Apply Natural Juices
Natural juices are very beneficial for our health and the same applies for our hair. Excessive hair loss can be controlled by using home remedies for hair loss.

Rub your scalp with garlic juice, ginger juice or onion juice.
Leaving it overnight.
Wash it in the morning with your regular shampoo.

5. Say No To Chemical Treatments
Now-a-days, it’s more of a trend to change the look of one’s hair. Straightening, hot ironing, rebounding and styling have become very common these days but we tend to ignore the fact that these are all the reasons of hair fall.

These chemical treatments include a variety of chemicals, which cause a heavy damage to your hair. Though, you might think that you look perfect but in reality, your hair is constantly under damage.

6. Eat A Healthy Diet
Most of the problems that we face these days are due to lack of a balanced and a healthy diet. Hair loss is a sign of how healthy you actually are. Iron, vitamin B, calcium and zinc are essential vitamins for hair which can reduce your hair fall.

Lack of iron is one of the key reasons for hair fall. To increase the intake of iron, eat green leafy vegetables, apricot, pulses, chicken, fish, egg, pork or beef.

Tomatoes, mangoes, papaya, sweet potatoes and green leafy vegetables are rich in beta carotene.
To cure this problem, the best hair loss treatment would be to eat healthy and avoid oily foods.

Calcium helps in the growth of hair. Therefore, including these minerals in your daily diet is extremely essential. You can do so by consuming low-fat dairy products in your diet. By including them in your diet, you will be amazed to see how hair grows.
A lack of zinc leads to hair loss. Therefore, don’t forget to include zinc in your diet through whole grains, chicken, nuts, beef, pulses and eggs.

7. Change Your Habits
We often use a blow-dryer to dry our wet hair but this habit of ours makes our scalp dry and also damages the hair follicles. Thereby, avoid using blow-dryers! But if you have to use it, then set it to the lowest heat settings.

Furthermore, combing your hair or toweling it when it’s wet, tends to pull out some hair strands from the roots. Thereby, it’s very essential to let your hair dry naturally.

8. Practice Meditation
Most of us are surrounded by a lot of stress and tension in our day-to-day life. And, stress and tension are one of the major hair fall causes. You can stop this sudden hair loss through meditation which will relax our body and reduce stress from our lives.

9. Do not comb your hair when they are wet. Let them dry and then use a shampoo comb to brush them.

10. Restore moisture in your hair by applying warm oil on the scalp of your head at least twice a week. Wear a shower cap after you have nicely massaged your scalp using your fingertips. After an hour, wash your hair with a mild shampoo and condition it without fail. This is a good hair loss treatment to be done at home.

11. Try to use natural hair conditioners as much as possible. Mayonnaise can be your savior. Mayo has egg and this will be an additional way to moisturize your hair.

Apply this paste generously on your hair and leave it on the hair for an hour, covering it with a shower cap.
Wash it off after an hour.

12. Home remedies take time but definitely work. You can combine a number of ingredients and make different kind of hair packs. This is one of the most effective ways on how to treat hair loss.

You can use 2 green tea bags for 1 cup of water.
Boil and let this cool.
Rinse your hair with this water and leave it for an hour
Again rinse the hair with normal water.

14. Here is another remedy on how to stop thinning hair.

Boil rosemary and potatoes.
Use this liquid as a rinse after every hair wash.

15. If you are looking for a natural hair loss treatment, then we suggest you try this remedy.

Soak some methi (Fenugreek) seeds overnight and crush to make a paste next morning.
You can either use this paste directly or mix it with some sour curds and apply on the hair.
Let it stay for 1 hour with a shower cap on.
Wash thoroughly with a good shampoo and condition your hair.

16. Make sure you wash your combs regularly. You can also make it a habit to wash your comb every time you wash your hair.

17. After washing your hair, try not to be rough while you are drying your hair with a towel. It is also a good idea to switch to using old t-shirts to dry the hair.

18. Avoid using shampoos that have sulphates and parabens. Try using organic shampoos for hair loss or Soapnut (reetha) to wash your hair.

19. You could also drink onion juice to stop hair fall.

20. To control your hair loss, make sure that you comb your hair with a wide-toothed comb first to detangle your hair. Once done, you can use a fine-toothed comb to style your hair accordingly. This will reduce the breakage of hair and the unnecessary hair falling out.

21. Going for a hair spa is recommended in order to reduce hair fall as it helps in deep conditioning your hair, providing essential nutrients and revitalizing your scalp.

The hair massage will also help in stimulating blood circulation in the scalp and is also a great way to reduce stress which is one of the reasons for hair loss.

22. One ingredient that will answer your how to stop hair loss question is the Indian gooseberry or amla as it commonly called. Amla is preferred because it is rich in Vitamin C and a lack of this can result in hair loss. Follow this simple method – grind amla into a pulp, add few drops of lemon juice and apply it on you scalp. Rinse it off after an hour.

23. If you want to stop hair fall naturally then try coconut milk which is great for hair regrowth because of the fats and proteins it contains. Along with helping in the regrowth, this also helps in stopping the thinning of hair.

Grind some grated coconut to extract the milk.
Apply this on your scalp and hair ends.
Wash it with a shampoo after an hour.

24. Another way to stop hair fall is by boosting the scalp blood circulation. To do this add few drops of rosemary oil to coconut fat and massage your scalp with it regularly to see the desired results.